Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-07
The Castor Bean-iIow a South Car

OIiua Farmer Experimental.
Recently the MORNING NEWS published
an article on the castor Bean" and sug-
gested that Southern farmers might find
it profitable to cultivate 1t. The follow.
inginteresting letter gives the experience
OF South Carolina planter with 1t:
CHINQUKPiN bill, 5. G., Feb. /, 1857
Editor M0rRiRq NeaCs: In reply TO your
note handed me by your son, l regret to
state that my experience in the cultiva-
ton OF the castor bean 10 too limited to
serve as a practical theory to those desir-
ing to cultivate the bean as mOneVed
crop. After the war, on my return to nv
island home. although largely engaged in
the culture Of long cotton, | was induced
to lease few acres of my land to Y an
kee farm labOrer for the purpose of ex-
perimentlng with the castor bean, The
iands on this island are, without doubt,
the richest on the coast of Carolina, in
all its grades. ! allotted to this individ-
ual for his purpose tract OF land which
| deemed superior to any | have. AS az
ricultural works were scarce in those
trying days, and having no definite in
structions to govern me, | could only adj
wise him in the cultivation of the crop
from close observations of the growth of
the poisonous variety OF the same plant
quarters and from general agricultural
principles. The crop was cultivated the
same as an ordinary corn crop, giving the
plants the same distances, leaving only
Two plants TO the hill. When lett thicker
IN the hills IL causes the spikes or cones
bearing the seed pods to torn and grow
almost on the top of the stalks, thereby
making it not only more difficult 10 har-
vest but greatly retarding its early ms
f1tritu The nrOp &c haFEpafQn 10 nc
the seed pods on these cones turn a brown
ism color. Several cuttings are made; in
other words, it becomes then continuous
harvest until all the cones are cut, as
they do not all ripen at the same time.
The trouble and expense then commences.
Suitable large buildings must be on hand
to receive the crop as 1t Is cut, with eX
tensive board scalTOldng surrounding the
same, upon which to spread them daily to
the action OF the sun IN order % cause the
seeds to burst from their thick hulls.
They sometimes, on warm day, pop out
to distance Of twenty feet or more. At
this stage OF the process in their manage
ment the greatest care must be taken that
the entire crop is regularly exposed TO the
action Of the sun, for II this 10 neglected,
being IN half green state, they will be-
come overheated and, from this cause,
entail considerable loss. ] was both sur
prised and disappointed at the result, the
| crop yielding only about eight bushels per
acre. This actually astonished me, has.
much as / knew that these lands were,
rich IN ammonia, lime, potash and phoss
phoric acid, being the four great eemsnts
OF fertility necessary 10 produce y ffy<t
class cotton crop, the cotton itself b<jri<P
an oil producing plant. / wos asApt ed
OF the above condition OF these !, lalld<
from the fact that mad then Rrpw ing on
the same land and in theabe9rte4 D>1<1e a
cotton,cr thar promised NV ,ei<k a ar
most a bale 10 the aor'e<x Eyident11 = hqpf
s Sssn d ss|' 4 II u zs :!
| lect oAfurity of Tic castor bean; but as